City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 9.8% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $109,800 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,121 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Shreveport, LA ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,076 in Shreveport | $109,799 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,121/yr.
99 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,121/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Huntsville → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $61,850 | $67,911 (+9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $96,680 | $106,153 (−17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $70,420 | $77,320 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $80,080 | $87,927 (+14.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.